Willie Parker

Minnesota's six-game winning streak was built on a steady dose of losing teams. Then Pittsburgh came to town. The Steelers forced three turnovers and had a safety in an 18-3 victory over the Vikings on a sluggish Sunday afternoon, with the only touchdown coming on Ben Roethlisberger's three-yard run in the second quarter. Willie Parker rushed 14 times for 81 yards for Pittsburgh (9-5), which won its second consecutive game and stayed in step with San Diego (9-5) for the last AFC wild-card spot.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who wants to play despite a broken pinkie on his throwing hand, practiced and threw passes to receivers Thursday. Coach Wade Phillips didn't rule out the possibility of Romo playing Sunday at St. Louis even though he said that the quarterback was limited in practice Thursday and that Brad Johnson took most of the snaps. "He threw the ball pretty well," Phillips said. "Just throwing the ball isn't all they do. . . .

Doesn't anybody play defense anymore? One look at the NFL's offensive statistics so far might prompt that question. Through the first 13 weeks, teams are on a record pace both in combined total yards (679.2) and combined passing yards (453.0) ? and that's not all because of the porous Houston Texans secondary. A look at where this season ranks with the highest yards-per-game averages in NFL history ( through week 13): Year, Total Year Net pass 2009 670.3 1995 441.6 1981 669.0 2009 436.9 1983 668.7 2007 428.6 1984 659.6 1994 427.2 1985 658.9 1999 424.6 1995 657.8 2002 424.5 2010 679.2 2010 453.0 Source: NFL Who can clinch?

Big Ben's left knee is doing fine. So are the winning streaks tied to him and the Pittsburgh Steelers heading into their AFC championship game rematch with New England. Shaking off a bruise that left him listed as questionable to play, Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers to two touchdowns and two field goals on their first four drives en route to a 27-7 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday. Pittsburgh (2-0) won its 16th straight regular-season game.

Three victories do not a season make, but a handful of NFL teams have started the 2007 season undefeated and taken a big step toward the playoffs. The select group includes preseason favorites Indianapolis and New England, mild surprises Dallas and Pittsburgh, and a bigger surprise in Green Bay. Times staff writer David Wharton takes a look at one of this fall's fast starters: Run first The small, fast Willie Parker isn't leading the league in rushing for no reason.

The Philadelphia Eagles released quarterback Koy Detmer and receiver Todd Pinkston on Wednesday and re-signed quarterback A.J. Feeley, who led the team to a 4-1 record in the last five games in 2002 when Donovan McNabb and Detmer were sidelined by injuries. Pinkston, a target of intense criticism from Eagles' fans in recent years, was made expendable earlier this week when the team sent a draft pick and reserve linebacker Mark Simoneau to the New Orleans Saints for Donte' Stallworth.

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger won't play for the second consecutive game as he recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery. Charlie Batch, who made his first start in four years in a 20-10 victory last Sunday at Green Bay, will go again Sunday night against the Cleveland Browns in Pittsburgh. After Roethlisberger had surgery last week to remove damaged cartilage from his right knee, Coach Bill Cowher said he would be out 10 to 14 days. The Steelers hope he returns for the Nov.

Less than one day after DeAngelo Hall cleared waivers, the cornerback agreed Friday to a one-year contract with the Washington Redskins. Hall should suit up for Washington's next game, on Nov. 16 against Dallas. The Redskins, who have had injury problems in the secondary, are off this week. Hall was released by Oakland this week after playing only eight games with the Raiders, who acquired Hall in the off-season for two draft picks, then signed him to a seven-year, $70-million contract.

Ben Roethlisberger's throwing got fast-starting Pittsburgh going on its first two drives, Rashard Mendenhall surpassed his previous career total with 165 yards rushing and two scores and the Steelers opened a 28-point lead, then held on to beat the San Diego Chargers, 38-28, on Sunday night. The Chargers (2-2), outgained nearly four to one until late in the third quarter, made an apparent blowout close as Philip Rivers threw touchdown passes of 30 yards to Antonio Gates and 13 yards to Chris Chambers and Jacob Hester scored on a 41-yard fumble return, all in the fourth quarter.

Ben Roethlisberger's numbers looked exceptional for an exhibition, especially for only a half. He knows how much better he and the Pittsburgh Steelers could have played. Roethlisberger, effective for only one drive previously in this preseason, passed for 247 yards before halftime to lead three Pittsburgh scoring drives and the Steelers shook off numerous mistakes to defeat the visiting Philadelphia Eagles, 27-13, Sunday night.